Etymology: (1375–1425; late ME < ML lēctūra a reading)
Definition of 'Lecture'
Princeton's WordNet
1. (noun)lecture, public lecture, talk a speech that is open to the public "he attended a lecture on telecommunications"
2. (noun)lecture, speech, talking to a lengthy rebuke "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to"
3. (verb)lecture, lecturing teaching by giving a discourse on some subject (typically to a class)
4. (verb)lecture, talk deliver a lecture or talk "She will talk at Rutgers next week"; "Did you ever lecture at Harvard?"
5. (verb)call on the carpet, take to task, rebuke, rag, trounce, reproof, lecture, reprimand, jaw, dress down, call down, scold, chide, berate, bawl out, remonstrate, chew out, chew up, have words, lambaste, lambast censure severely or angrily "The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car"; "The deputy ragged the Prime Minister"; "The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup"
2. (noun)Lecture a discourse on any subject; especially, a formal or methodical discourse, intended for instruction; sometimes, a familiar discourse, in contrast with a sermon